Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Renewables May Destabilize the System, Causing Environmental
Damage
Another environmental concern relates to the potential for high penetration of renewable
resources to destabilize the electricity system, which could in some locations and some
timeframes cause negative environmental impacts. Variable renewable resources require
new operational protocols and lead to unanticipated environmental emissions as
conventional generators are forced to rapidly ramp up and down to match demand.
Resources such as large-scale wind and solar are changing the management of the
high-voltage transmission system. While changes in operational protocols may be called
for, if not properly managed, the additional ramping may reduce generator lifetimes and
increase system costs. Additionally, as more renewables enter the grid, they alter the
economic structure of the system. In Germany, this has meant that lower-carbon natural gas
has been less economically attractive.
Some allege that distributed renewables such as rooftop solar PV could be affecting
distribution networks and potentially compromising power quality. In locations with high
levels of rooftop PV in distribution networks, such as Hawaii, California, and Australia,
some utilities claim that the PV systems are potentially causing fluxes in power quality
and possibly damaging appliances and electronics. This translates into an environmental
concern due to inefficiencies, as well as disposability of damaged appliances.
Other Environmental Dangers
The electrification of transport enabled by smart grid could also have some negative
environmental impacts if the electricity system remains carbon-intensive. If electric
vehicles are charged with high-carbon electricity, they could result in more greenhouse
gases than conventional vehicles. PEV could displace emissions from tailpipe to
smokestack in more carbon-intensive areas. While smokestacks are usually located in
less populated areas and could reduce exposure to pollutants such as nitrogen oxides
and sulfur dioxide from car tailpipes, overall greenhouse gas emissions could increase.
Also, unless large-scale PEV charging is carefully integrated into grid management, it
could compromise system management and require additional generators, inadvertently
degrading system performance.
2.3.4 Disempowered Citizens
A final category of smart grid pitfalls is the potential to disempower citizens by alienating
people and compromising their privacy. For some, smart grid is only peripherally
associated with modernization of the electricity system. Rather, they perceive smart grid as
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